Lancaster City lose away to Gainsborough Trinity

Lancaster City were defeated 1-0 at Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday.

It’s a result that sees the Dolly Blues slip to 14th in the NPL Premier Division.

City have now only won one of their last seven league games.

In the first 15 minutes of the game, the Lancaster defenders were getting themselves involved in attacking moves. 

Captain Andrew Teague and Calen Gallagher-Allison both tried their luck inside the opening quarter of an hour, but their efforts were blocked.

Another defender in Matty Clarke took a shot on after cutting in from the wing, but Gainsborough ‘keeper Luke Jackson was equal to it.

Andre Mendes didn’t have much to do in the first half but did well to keep out Declan Howe’s effort from a tight angle just after the half hour mark.

Howe was to trouble the visitors further in the second half. 

He forced Mendes into another quick reaction five minutes after the restart.

The number 10 took aim, only for his effort to be easily held by the City shot stopper.

A few minutes later, the hosts were on the attack again and Howe proved too quick for Simon Grand, who brought him down inside the 18-yard box.

The subsequent penalty, however, was saved by Mendes, who dived to his right to deny Dayle Southwell. 

The Lancaster defence failed to clear the ball after the penalty save and, just moments later, Howe tried a shot from outside the box and the ball flew into the right hand side of the goal, leaving Mendes, who did go the right way, with no chance.

Dom Lawson, who was named October Player of the Month for Lancaster this week, looked to get the equaliser with around 20 minutes left but his shot was blocked by Jackson.

Matty Clarke, named as Lancaster’s Player of the Match, was through on goal minutes later but Jackson was there to collect, despite the hosts’ keeper losing his footing as he rushed off his line. 

Substitute Jacob Holland-Wilkinson could have equalised late on with a superb acrobatic effort but his attempt went just wide. 

City’s assistant manager Graham Lancashire said afterwards he was disappointed with the result but said the Dolly Blues gave a “better performance” than they did on Tuesday, when they lost 1-0 to Basford United. 

“I thought, first half especially, we played some really great football without actually hurting [Gainsborough]," he said.

“We’ve not put the ball in the back of the net and that’s ultimately what’s killed the game off for us.”

Lancashire praised Matty Clarke’s performance.

“What Clarkey is, we see week in, week out in training but he’s just not produced that when he’s been given opportunities previously this season. 

“But he’s come in today and done really well so next week it’s going to be a tough decision with what shape we play and what personnel we play in that shape.”

Next up for Lancaster City is a home game against FC United of Manchester on November 11.

Lancaster City: Mendes, Clarke, Brownhill, Gallagher-Allison (Barnes 78’), Teague (c), Grand, Sloan, Carroll, Lawson, Norris (Holland-Wilkinson 66’), C Bailey

Subs not used: S Bailey, Mellen, Connelly